Denmark’s refugee asset grab

Denmark took the most punitive step yet among EU nations to deter refugees.

The country has drawn international criticism for plans to seize valuables and block family reunifications but Danish lawmakers aren’t playing to global public opinion. They say they’re responding to domestic concerns about the impact of thousands of migrants on their way of life.

Under the plans — which received parliamentary backing in a vote Tuesday — police will be able to search refugees and their luggage, looking for cash or assets worth over €1,300, which would be seized and sold off to help pay for their upkeep. A delay of three years will also be placed on refugees seeking to bring their families to Denmark.

The controversial moves are proving popular across Europe. Switzerland and two German regions — Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg — already seize refugees’ valuables. The Netherlands requires refugees to contribute to their upkeep, but this applies mostly to those with jobs and higher-value assets. Denmark would be the first EU country to take such tough steps.

The Danish government is unrepentant. Immigration Minister Inger Støjberg told MEPs Monday that it was a cornerstone of countries such as Denmark that people should pay their way if they can.

“Our expenses on asylum-seekers are the second highest in the whole of the EU, if you look at the percentage of spending relative to GDP,” Støjberg told the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee. “Also, when we support asylum-seekers economically, it has clear economic consequences and the number of asylum seekers goes up dramatically.”

More than 23,000 refugees arrived in Denmark in 2015, and Støjberg said a similar number are expected this year.

“We don’t want to have refugees everywhere because this is not good for integration,” said Kirsten Ketscher, a professor of social security and welfare law at the University of Copenhagen. She said local authorities were swamped and Danes worried about strains on the welfare system.

“The problem is we already have a lot of trouble with integration. It’s not possible for Denmark to take the same amount of refugees as Germany.”

The laws were put forward by the ruling Liberal Party in December, and many Danes believe they are less about stripping refugees of their jewelry and more about deterring people from coming in the first place. The Danish government has taken similar steps before, taking out adverts in Lebanese newspapers warning would-be refugees to head elsewhere.

“Even though few politicians will say directly in public, the goal seems to be to spread uncertainty among refugees outside Denmark about whether Denmark really is a welcoming country,” said Kristian Jensen, an integration researcher at Aarhus University.

But the proposals have proven extremely controversial, with some media reports suggesting the Danish government would seize wedding rings. This, government spokespeople insist, is not true and items of sentimental value will be exempt from the rules.

Recouping costs

Nils Muižnieks, the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner, wrote to Støjberg on January 15, arguing that delaying family reunification may affect the rights of children, while seizing assets “could amount to an infringement of … human dignity.”

“The proposal does not make sense in a number of ways,” said Per Mouritson, a political science professor at Aarhus University. “Nothing indicates that it could in fact recoup even a fraction of these costs. The practicalities of letting police officials estimate if this or that piece of jewelry is worth more than the set limit would be pretty overwhelming.”

“My fear is that this package will make it more difficult to integrate” — Jens Rohde, Liberal MEP.

MEPs raised similar concerns to Støjberg Monday, questioning the amount of money that would be raised, and whether there was even a market for assets seized from refugees.

“We have this basic principle that if you can support yourself then you have to do so,” she said. “But if it’s gold — and it will be gold in some cases — then of course there is a world market for gold.”

The proposal enjoys wide support in the Danish parliament, where it is supported by the left-leaning Social Democrats as well as the populist, right-wing Danish People’s Party.

However, not all Danish politicians are happy. Jens Rohde, a Liberal MEP, quit the Danish liberals in December in protest at the plan.

“My fear is that this package will make it more difficult to integrate. It contributes to marginalization,” he said. “Many [refugees] have lost their dignity. We don’t help them get it back by searching them and saying: ‘Welcome to Denmark — we take your valuables!’”

Mette Gjerskov, a former government minister from the Social Democrats, told POLITICO she was planning to rebel and vote against the bill on Tuesday, describing it as “not very diplomatic.”

The former minister said Denmark still devoted an enormous amount of time and money to refugees, however, and pushed back against suggestions that country was turning its back on those in need.

“This regulation is tough, but at least we do it by regulation and not just put up fences around Denmark,” she said.

This article has been updated with additional details.

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glasspix 1

I think the chances of their integration is equivalent to their concern for societies they are entering in their hundreds of thousands. During the many interviews with migrants in the media none of them had voiced any concern for their own economic and social impact on countries that welcomed them or tried to repel them unsuccessfully. In Denmark alone there is chronic shortage of not only social housing but of rental properties, despite Danes being taxed exorbitant amounts.

Posted on 1/26/16 | 9:49 AM CET

Veritas-Semper

Integrate? Did someone say integrate? Just like in neighboring Sweden, Germany, France (remember France?), Belgium and a whole laundry list of countries with “welcomed guests”?

‘Human dignity’ my ars, Euro-Commissars! This is an invasion unlike any other invasions of Europe and the band is playing a waltz on the Titanic…

Posted on 1/26/16 | 11:16 AM CET

rer

“Nils Muižnieks, the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner, wrote to Støjberg on January 15, arguing that delaying family reunification may affect the rights of children, while seizing assets “could amount to an infringement of … human dignity.” What rights? They are freeloaders. Believe me I know about family unification and EU law. I am a third-party national gay spouse and my RIGHTS are infringed daily. Directive 38 is trampled on by both public and private entities when it comes to gay immigrants who are legally married to EU nationals. At least I pay my way, am not a burden on any state and I respect and honor the norms and mores of my host country.

Also, this policy is not “tough.” It is simply common sense.

In fact they all should be charged a fee and there should be no family reunification since their stay should be temporary.

Posted on 1/26/16 | 9:39 PM CET

zoe

Congratulation Denmark!!! Keep on doing that,do not give up!

Posted on 1/26/16 | 10:19 PM CET

Rob

Again this story does not highlight that in Denmark you do not get assistance if you have assets and the means to provide for your own upkeep. IE if you have no money but a house, you must SELL it and spend the proceeded before you are eligible for assistance. This is not targeting refugees its just aligning asylum policies with social welfare provisions in the host country.

Posted on 1/26/16 | 11:29 PM CET

juvenis

Bravo Denmark . Good and smart move .

Posted on 1/27/16 | 2:09 AM CET

J

Eh, good job Denmark! Instead of attracting migrants with some assets to settle down and quickly become active contributors to society, you’ll only attract have-nots with less than 1300 euros and nothing to lose…go ahead, “integrate” them…

Posted on 1/27/16 | 8:09 AM CET

Angela Burqa

Kudos to Denmark! One has to start cleaning this mess created by the leftist idiots!

A common sense and just decision by the democratically elected government, supported by all parties in the Danish parliament, against foreign freeloaders. And this is not only about common sense and basic fairness, this is about the survival of the UNIQUE Danish culture endangered by savage hordes of worthless nomads with their barbaric cult. A cultured and hardworking nation of not even 6 mln population, you are at home in Denmark and feel free to do whatever it takes to defend yourselves in YOUR home. The EU and the migrants can go to hell for all you care. Greetings from Poland and Canada.

Posted on 1/27/16 | 2:55 PM CET

Angela Burqa

BTW, I have just tried to picture an Arabic issue of Hamlet (as a figment of Shakespeare’s imagination), Niels Bohr and Hans Christian Andersen. Started to ROTFL while LMFAO after 30 seconds.

Posted on 1/27/16 | 2:59 PM CET

Milton38

“could amount to an infringement of … human dignity.”
It seems to me that this dignity was not infringed when a European tax payer, after 30 years of work and contributing to welfare, was forced to sell his home when he went to claim unemployment benefits after the miserable few months the law allowed.

Posted on 1/27/16 | 6:06 PM CET

max

@ J — Denmark attract immigrants just fine already … refugees (whether haves or have-nots) are a different category with more problems (being traumatized, anxious about family left behind, maybe with very few skills, etc.)

@ milton38 — in DK if you’re in a union the unemployment benefit is 24 months before you have to claim welfare benefit from the state.

Posted on 1/29/16 | 5:09 AM CET

Ricardo

I’m all in favor of rescuing refugees from war zones. But why do they have to integrate in a society with so much different values than Europe? Why can’t the refugees integrate with Saudi Arabia? or Jordan? Or any other country in the Middle East?
Good luck Europe. This is the nail in the coffin of your destiny.